The Los Angeles Lakers are not contending for a title this season. Kobe Bryant can go ahead and hang up all the championship talk.

That said, here's the real question: Should he give up on being Kobe for a season? You know, the Bryant who has proven capable of fighting through whatever pain he endures to carry the Lakers on his shoulders. Whether Bryant can bounce back from an Achilles injury that needed surgery and will keep him out of training camp is yet to be seen, but Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has his doubts.

“It's a rebuilding year for them because Kobe has been hurting and he has a very devastating type of injury," Abdul-Jabbar said in an interview Thursday on CBS Sports Radio (via CBSSports.com). "I don't think he will be able to come back as quickly and completely as he would like. It's gonna be tough on the Lakers this year."

Without Bryant in the lineup, the Lakers will be forced to turn to Steve Nash and Pau Gasol for guidance. Both dealt with injuries last season, and their health will determine whether the Lakers can hold their heads above water while they wait for Bryant's return.

If Nash and Gasol falter, there is little to turn to on the wings. The Lakers brought in Nick Young, Xavier Henry and Wesley Johnson to hold down the fort while Bryant's away. That's not going to get it done. Young has the potential for big nights, but he is also capable of shooting a team out of games. Henry and Johnson were drafted as lottery picks on potential and never developed properly.

But even when Bryant, 35, does return to the court, there will be growing pains. The team will have to adjust to Bryant being limited in certain capacities, at least in the early stages. And Abdul-Jabbar thinks Bryant and the Lakers are in for a struggle.

"When Kobe does come back, it's gonna be a different Kobe and that will definitely effect the outcome for the Lakers long-term," Abdul-Jabbar said. "… It's gonna be a test for him this year, absolutely.”